The Community Accommodation Assistance Fund (AAF) is
designed to provide a more equitable, fairer and more
transparent form of funding than the previous rates
remissions. Not-for-profit organisations and community
groups who either own their own properties and those leasing
or renting properties are eligible to apply.
For the 2009/ 2010 financial year, an amount of $50,000
has been set aside for distribution to the community.
Grants are available only for the payment of property rates
or that part of a lease rental that covers rates by sports
and community groups and not-for-profit organisations. The
fund is not intended to cover the full cost of an
organisation's rates or rental costs. The scale of each
grant would be at the discretion of the Council.
Grants will not pay for the Uniform Annual General Charge or
organisations already receiving automatic rates assistance.
Sports clubs properties and properties used principally as a
place of religious worship receive rates assistance
automatically under the Local Government Act (Rating) 2002
(if your organisation does not receive this assistance and
you think they fit this criteria, please send a letter to
the Waitakere City Council Rates Manager or
contact us.
Criteria
The target groups may apply for grants assistance for
meeting costs of rate payments or that part of rental
payments that relates to rates, provided that:
They own and occupy their own property (i.e. private
property) and are thus paying rates to the Waitakere
City Council; or
They are leasing private property, but are not the
ratepayers; or
They are leasing property from the Waitakere City
Council. (Please note, groups who currently have
subsidised or below market rate rentals may not be
eligible).
The following factors are taken into account when
assessing the eligible applications:
The financial benefit that a Council lessee gets
from their below-market rentals/leases.
The extent that the facility is being used (i.e.
number of users and range of uses) and nature of the
activities.
Safety of the facility and management.
The capacity for generating income (location,
quality of the facility).
The particular socio-economic status of the area the
group/ organisation is located in. For example, the
groups or organisations located in deprived areas may
have a higher need for assistance than those that are
not.
The proximity to other similar organisations.
Important
On your application form please list the properties
addresses that you currently pay rates on and require
assistance with.
